to drive at 70mph on this road?

[georgeisadinosaur]

Rubbish diagram attached.

A road near me that I regularly use, has two lanes on one side but only one lane on the opposite (to go other way).

I have always driven (up to) 70mph on the left side, but 60mph on the right side. Was driving with a friend earlier who was shocked and said she only drives 60 both sides as it isn't a dual carriageway without two lanes on both sides of the central reservation?

Am I wrong??

No spam you are wrong I’m afraid unless the laws of physics don’t apply in your world. Google it or even watch the Mythbusters episode where they prove it full scale with real cars!

The laws of physics very much apply in my world, especially seeing as I'm a physicist.

The laws of physics very much apply in my world, especially seeing as I'm a physicist.

Lol

The two cars at 70 have a closing speed of 140, but the impact of the collision is shared between both of them, so for two similar cars, the impact on one of them is equivalent to running into an immovable concrete wall at 70.

The laws of physics very much apply in my world, especially seeing as I'm a physicist.

You’re still wrong! Although I wonder if you’re thinking about a moving car hitting a stationary car that will move and deform which of course is very different from hitting an immovable solid object?

Thank you Mere. I went away to google after reading this and got completely confused.
What you’ve said actually makes sense.

Limit is 60. You are speeding.

Previous poster who said 60 is correct. It is an overtaking lane and the limit is still 60.

The same applies to the stretches of the A9 like this. Although this whole post does now explain to me why so many cars go flying past on those bits despite the average speed cameras.

spam re-reading your post we are definitely at cross-purposes. I agree that hitting a stationary car at 140mph would be the same as two cars head on at 70mph, however hitting a solid, immovable block of concrete at 70mph IS the same as two cars head on at 70mph.

I agree that hitting a stationary car at 140mph would be the same as two cars head on at 70mph, however hitting a solid, immovable block of concrete at 70mph IS the same as two cars head on at 70mph.

In other words hitting a stationary car at 140mph is the same as hitting an immovable concrete block at 70mph, which makes intuitive sense as the unfortunate stationary car will absorb a lot of the impact.

reddington yeah I've been thinking about the phrasing while my little one was napping on me (and my phone died, disaster!). I think it's just the terms we're thinking of it in - there's double the 'damage' if two cats collide head on than if one at the same speed hits a wall, but of course it's shared between two cars so the damage to each car is the same on both scenarios, assuming the wall can't withstand a good beating. So I was thinking more of just an undefined stationary object (ideally modelled as a point of course) that would take its fair share of the damage.

Cars even. Although no reason the same can't be applied to cats (although I've never seen one reach 70mph).

Yeah, we’re both right lol

I now have a cartoon image of two cats colliding at high speed.

Very interesting re speed at impact.